What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Coco-Betaine
Cleansing
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningLimonene
Perfuming
Denatonium Benzoate
Masking
Leptospermum Petersonii Oil
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCaramel
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantWater
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Acrylates Copolymer
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingSodium Chloride
MaskingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-6 Caprylate
EmulsifyingParfum
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Phytate
Tromethamine
BufferingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Glycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Juglans Nigra Leaf Extract
AstringentPinus Densiflora Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Sophora Japonica Leaf Extract
Skin ProtectingCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTrichosanthes Kirilowii Root Extract
Skin ProtectingOctanediol
Cynanchum Atratum Extract
Skin ConditioningAlthaea Rosea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Chamaecyparis Obtusa Water
MaskingPinus Sylvestris Leaf Extract
TonicMethylpropanediol
SolventCocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
Emollient
Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantAnemarrhena Asphodeloides Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Bambusa Vulgaris Water
Skin ConditioningCupressus Sempervirens Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Pinus Sylvestris Bud Extract
Perfuming
Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
Skin ProtectingGaultheria Procumbens Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Prunus Persica Flower Extract
MoisturisingPinus Pinaster Bark Extract
Antioxidant
Water, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Glycerin, Acrylates Copolymer, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Sodium Chloride, Hexylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate, Parfum, Potassium Sorbate, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Phytate, Tromethamine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Juglans Nigra Leaf Extract, Pinus Densiflora Leaf Extract, Sophora Japonica Leaf Extract, Ceramide NP, Pentylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Trichosanthes Kirilowii Root Extract, Octanediol, Cynanchum Atratum Extract, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Citric Acid, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Water, Pinus Sylvestris Leaf Extract, Methylpropanediol, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Dipropylene Glycol, Anemarrhena Asphodeloides Root Extract, Bambusa Vulgaris Water, Cupressus Sempervirens Leaf Extract, Pinus Sylvestris Bud Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Gaultheria Procumbens Leaf Extract, Prunus Persica Flower Extract, Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideWater. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
